Alvin Rakoff

Alvin Rakoff (February 6, 1927 – October 12, 2024) was a Canadian director of film, television and theatre productions. He worked with actors including Laurence Olivier, Peter Sellers, Sean Connery, Judi Dench, Rex Harrison, Rod Steiger, Henry Fonda and Ava Gardner.

Rakoff awarded Sean Connery his first leading role, and gave Alan Rickman his first job when he was a drama student. Other actors he worked with early in their careers include Michael Crawford, Jeremy Irons, and Michael Caine.

Early life

Rakoff was born on February 6, 1927. He was the third of seven children. His parents had a shop in Kensington Market. When Rakoff was 16, after facing anti-Semitism, he changed his first name from Abraham to Alvin, inspired by Alvin York and the film ''Sergeant York''.

After graduation from the University of Toronto, he became a journalist and began writing for Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's nascent television service.

Career

A BBC adaptation in 1953 of the Irwin Shaw novel '' The Troubled Air'' was his first major writing assignment for television. In 1954, his production of ''Waiting For Gillian'' won the ''Daily Mail''s National TV Award with actors Patrick Barr and Anne Crawford also honoured. He later recreated this production in French for transmission throughout France.

In 1962, the BBC asked Rakoff to produce/direct its entry for the European-wide 'The Largest Theatre In The World' written especially for the occasion by Terence Rattigan and called ''Heart to Heart'', with Kenneth More and Ralph Richardson. In 1964, when the new channel BBC 2 was launched Rakoff was selected to direct plays filling the first three Sunday-night drama slots (''The Seekers''). He won his first Emmy Award in 1967 for ''Call Me Daddy'', which had featured Donald Pleasence, and 15 years later won it again for '' A Voyage Round My Father'' (Laurence Olivier, Alan Bates, and Jane Asher took the leads) which he produced and directed.

Rakoff's writing included ''Too Marvellous For Words'', the story of lyricist Johnny Mercer presented a
The Mill Theatre
Sonning, and King's Head Theatre, London. He had written three novels. His first, ''& Gillian'', a romantic novel, was translated into 10 languages. His second, ''Baldwin Street'', based on his early days in his parents' shop in Toronto, was published in 2008. ''The Seven Einsteins'', a third novel, is a genetic thriller published in 2014. An adaptation of Raymond Chandler's '' The Big Sleep'' was produced in 2012.

His theatre work ranged from ''Hamlet'' at Bristol Old Vic to a Charity Cruise performance at the Royal Albert Hall before Her Majesty the Queen, and continued with his association with The Mill Theatre, Sonning, directing productions of '' Separate Tables'' with Anthony Valentine and his own adaptation of Chandler's ''The Big Sleep''.

In 2010, Rakoff directed ''A Sentimental Journey'', the story of Doris Day, at Wilton's Music Hall, London, and subsequently (2012) El Portal Theatre, Hollywood.

He was a president of the Directors Guild of Great Britain.

Rakoff died at his home in Chiswick, London on October 12, 2024, at the age of 97.

Filmography

Feature films (director)

Television (director)

Writing (television, films, books)

Theatre credits (director)

* 1965 – ''Hamlet'', Bristol Old Vic
(Richard Pasco, Barbara Leigh Hunt, Margaret Courtney, etc.)

* 1982 – Celia Johnson Theatre fund, Aldwych Theatre
(Ralph Richardson, Jeremy Irons, Richard Briers, etc.)

* 1984 – ''Cruise Charity'', Albert Hall
( Richard Briers, John Gielgud, Penelope Keith, Wayne Sleep, etc.)

* 1995 – ''Stage Struck'' by Simon Gray, The Mill at Sonning
(Nicholas Jones)

* 2001–2002 – ''Too Marvelous For Words: The Story of Lyricist Johnny Mercer''
(written and directed) The Mill at Sonning

* 2002 – ''Too Marvelous For Words'', King's Head Theatre, London

* 2004 – ''I Remember You'' by Bernard Slade, The Mill at Sonning

* 2005 – ''Separate Tables'' by Terence Rattigan, The Mill at Sonning
(Anthony Valentine, Glynis Barber)

* 2007 – ''Same Time Next Year'' by Bernard Slade, The Mill at Sonning
( Steven Pacey, Shona Lindsay)

* 2009 – ''A Sentimental Journey, The Story of Doris Day''. The Mill at Sonning
(Sally Hughes, Glyn Kerslake)

* 2010 – ''A Sentimental Journey, The Story of Doris Day''. Wilton's, London

* 2011 – ''The Big Sleep'' by Raymond Chandler. Adapted with his son John D. Rakoff.

* 2011 – ''A Sentimental Journey, The Story of Doris Day'' – Edinburgh Festival; The Mill at Sonning; El Portal Theater, Los Angeles.

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rakoff, Alvin
1927 births
2024 deaths
Canadian television directors
Film directors from Toronto
Canadian emigrants to England
Jewish Canadian film people